Gardening with Pat Duke: Prairie borders mix grasses with other hardy herbaceous perennials

Pat Duke, gardens and allotments:

All the talk recently, and many of my views are formed through anecdotal evidence from other gardeners, is that this is like 1976 all over again.

Being old enough to remember that prolonged, searing heat even as a child, I remember being worried about my shallot patch on the allotment.

If this climate is here to stay, and I’m inclined to think it is from the above research body, we might be well served to look at planting a prairie border.

Grasses are the plants I’ve been least worried about in these drought conditions, knowing that as soon as there is a splash of rain there will be a flash of green again.

Much is written about grass root architecture and without sending you to sleep, the deep roots become dormant until water is added then special nodules spark the plant back into action.

Prairie borders need less time and effort and, like older, children require less hands on care.

For example, they only need cutting back to almost ground level every autumn and they re ready to go again while all the work is done underground until they reappear the next season.

I have felt a little bit like a paramedic assessing the injured at times in the garden where the watering can is a cure all.

I get to the grasses last of all and that’s even if there is any water left in the water butts.

It’s this that’s made me think a prairie border is a great idea for future years.

Something I won t need to stress about but that will also provide enjoyment and entertainment, each season.

A true prairie border mixes grasses with other hardy herbaceous perennials but arranged in lines like people of different heights on a football terrace.

There is no reason you can’t interplant echinacea, astilbe, rudbeckia and, in particular, larkspur for colour in-between the swaying masses of the grass seedheads.

Choose grasses of different sizes to align with your flowers.

For example, briza grass isn’t the tallest and ‘bunny tails’ can also be in a more visible spot alongside geraniums or pinks (Cranmere pool)

On the plot

We really are up against it in the veg patch this summer so just keep reminding yourself that when the water runs out.

Different plants do better some years than others and this year it’s not succulents doing well!

Water sparingly where you can and directly at the roots. Most people know to water either first or last thing to minimise evaporation.

Place mulch around the roots to preserve moisture from watering and also to make the most of naturally occurring moisture such as dew or condensation.

Start to value water a bit more and don’t do what I do by sloshing it around and down your socks while ferrying it between plants.

I’ve caught myself walking gingerly with the watering can, even using sticking my tongue out concentration levels.

I believe this is the reverence water holds for me right now on the plot.

Go round and prune off any dead or drought-affected areas so the plants will still survive, but only to its water absorbing capacity.

At least there will be some crop at the end of it, however small.

Keep the weeds down as they will be taking moisture that the vegetables need. Leaving them to wilt in the sun post hoeing can surprisingly offer a rare feeling of power over the weeds I find.

Sometimes you have to accept that nature wins and go with the flow. It might be that just like 1976, we will be talking about 2022 in the same way to our grandchildren.

If all else fails, find a tree and sit under it with a drink while admiring all you survey which will include wildlife that will be thankful for your efforts.